Almost Daily One-up, 08/14/13

What is it to maintain bodily awareness while communicating with others?

The solemn and serious minor third can imply a kind of quiet finality. When it sounds in Percussion, in the realm of the physical, it references sacred space.

The Musician’s Die in this casting is at G# ascending, indicating energy moving upward from the Throat to the Third Eye Chakra, from communication into insight; the hermeneutic for G# ascending is being understood. The scalepoint of ra descending indicates vitality, a point in process when energy sources are defined and/or tapped.

What we see here, then, is sacred space as an energy source that allows us to effectively communicate. While “sacred space” can refer to an external place, a place at home or in nature, it may be more useful here to consider a sacred space within: a quiet bodily presence, an awareness of sensation. How might maintaining such an awareness, such quiet connection to the body, affect communication with others? Can I hold this awareness and talk at the same time?

Musical notes. In the context of a G# ascending major scale, an A with an F# below sounds, implying the Phrygian mode.

Please feel free to share your experiences here or on the Muzoracle Facebook page in the comments section regarding this post.

Almost Daily One-up, 07/19/13 (with Tarot)

A higher calling compels us to act, yet we are weary. Seeing this, we move forward nonetheless, but in a measured way, expending our energy with care.

Casting notes. The keycenter of B descending indicates energy moving downward through the Crown Chakra. That the Musician’s Die points strongly to the right indicates an eye toward the future. The scalepoint of le ascending indicates unconscious, habitual response; the Stanchezza card above it is a directive to play ploddingly, expressing weariness and fatigue. 

Above Stanchezza is the Knight of Wands ascending, speaking of courage, commitment, and energetic action. The Knight, however, can be compulsive and rash. Left to battle in the unconscious, the two cards will stalemate; if seen, and if the true calling is remembered, the cards may indicate a more tempered path.

Musical notes. In the context of a B descending major scale, a G sounds. The accompanying piece is simply a piano improvisation based on this and the feeling of the casting.

Almost Daily One-up, 07/03/13

“A profound lack is preventing us from functioning as masterfully in the outer world as we do inwardly in the creative world. What is this gap, and how do we bridge it?”

The keycenter of D# Ascending indicates energy moving upward from the second to third chakras: that which drives the mostly inward facing creative process is concentrating and moving upward into the seat of personal power, into a place of identity and function in the outer world. The scalepoint of fa ascending indicates a time of revelation in this process; what is being seen is a lack in the realm of being and spirit, as indicated by the Major Seventh of Voices. 

The bad news about the Major Seventh is that it’s a great big hole; the good news is there’s a lot of ways to fill it. A profound lack is preventing us from functioning as masterfully in the outer world as we do inwardly in the creative world. What is this gap, and how do we bridge it?

Musically, the major seventh in this case, while presenting this large gap, is not particularly dissonant: both notes in the dyad are native to the casting’s keycenter, and in context actually sound a bit sweet. That means it might be so ubiquitous we don’t see it –  a big hole, perhaps, that’s easy to miss. Musically, it also means it’s pretty obvious which note fills the hole best, if we’re seeking consonance: a C, which along with the Eb root, makes a very pretty inversion of a G# Major Seventh chord. 

The note C suggests the Root Chakra; the interval between C and the Eb root is that of a major sixth; and the hermeneutic for the Major Sixth of Voices is faith. We wish to function successfully in the world with our creative integrity intact, but there’s an emptiness, a kind of unasked question, a dull blankness, hanging in our way – and the response that heals is faith.

Faith in what? In ourselves? In our worthiness as creators? In the creative process? The voices sing: we need no minor faith, no blind beliefs nor gung-ho confidence nor feel-good platitudes, but profound, deeply grounded faith. Every sound that arises finds its fifth harmonic, it’s consonance, and its seventh harmonic, the dissonance that brings rise to the new and decay to the old. We are momentary densities of vibration in a vast, undulating harmonic fabric, and a part of that fabric as well, and under the same laws, and born of the same unfathomable source: this is home. Trust, surrender, gratitude: that’s the kind of faith we’re talking.

There’s an opportunity here to explore the nature of the Third Chakra, of identity and personal power. Our notions of these things are so often narrow and closed: identity implies boundaries, power implies “mine.” Identity, though, is most functional when fluid and responsive, and true power arises simply from functionality, and not as power over but as power through and with. Perhaps bridging the gap between creativity and a functional identity that includes it is best accomplished from the top down, by letting go of our boiled-down, hardened notions of having to be this or that and allowing the consonance – and confidence, and faith – to rise.

Summer of Love: Midsummer and Marriage Equality

Midsummer is upon us, sweet as strawberries. Friday was the Summer Solstice, the day the Sun shines longest: bonfires were lit, herbs were gathered. Tonight – now –  the full Moon rises in Capricorn, a perigee full moon, closest to the Earth and huge in the sky.

On March 26, the full moon of Easter, two cases came before the Supreme Court of the United States regarding marriage equality, and I cast the Muzoracle. Now the court is on the verge of handing down their decisions, possibly as early as tomorrow, certainly by the 27th. Midsummer is a time of gratitude and celebrating abundance – and love, and marriage. Much has happened since Easter: more states, more people, have come onboard; there seems to be a worldwide transformation of the heart underway. What lies in store for us here in the good ole USA? On Friday I cast the Muzoracle - it’s been stewing here on the casting table since. Tonight, just before moonrise, I added in some Tarot. 

Click to enlarge

The keycenter of B ascending indicates energy moving upward from the Crown Chakra: the vitality that bubbled up from the Earth and was drawn up through us is given back to the stars. The Midsummer Sun shines down most abundantly, and we beam back thanks: we are transformers between the Earth and Sun, and are so transformed. 

The first position in the casting is at se descending, the point of inception; the card is Con Amore, “with love.” Here, at the beginning, love shines down. Con Amore is also a directive card: it directs us to give love ourselves, to let it enter us from above and take seed below through us. The Tarot in this position is the Six of Cups – the remembrance of love, a nostalgia for love. Looks like we’re in for another Summer of Love, folks!

The final three positions of this casting are all ascending, speaking of our personal aims, roles, and challenges. The first of the three is at mi ascending, the point of “effort required.“ Here, at the casting’s axis, we find the Silence card crossed with a Minor Second of Voices. The minor second speaks of a deep, pervasive, even spiritual discord: there are those who find the notion of a world where love in all its forms is respected a serious threat. We are called to respond to this discord with silence – not verbal silence nor inaction, but inner silence, the peace of truth. There is no wrong love: that truth lies in the silent part of everyone. How do we engender such silence, within ourselves and others? There’s the effort – there’s the work. The eight wands sailing through the sky in the Tarot card in this position indicate moving ahead with enthusiasm and optimism.

The next position is at fa ascending, the point where the deeper nature of what’s at hand is revealed. The card: Repeat. Perseverance is key: if we lose one, we keep at it. If we win one, we keep at it. Love is not a single act but countless acts in a way of life. The very purpose of all that’s at hand may be to learn the lessons perseverance teaches. The Knight of Pentacles coming down speaks of the pragmatic nature of this perseverance. 

Finally, with the Devil card at do ascending, we find ourselves setting our intention while assuming the mantle of the oppressed. The Devil card, though, is about delusion: the people in it are in chains so loose they could easily slip out of them if only they thought it possible. The Pivot card says it is possible, and so shall be. A pivot refers refers to a point in music where the melody doesn’t change key while the harmony underneath does. Imagine facing a wall then pivoting on one foot to suddenly face a room full of people, or the sea: “I am I: not that, but this.” This is the kind of clarity called for here at do, the point of intention. As long as we claim the mantle of the oppressed, we most certainly will wear it; the Pivot card allows an opportunity to redefine ourselves. 

Musical notes. In the context of an ascending B major scale, an F natural announces itself most lovingly. In response, a D# and E natural are sung horrifically; the response to that is silence. E strikes again, this time without the D# – and again, and again. Finally, do, hinting at what the opening tritone promised.

Almost Daily One-up, 06/11/13

Creatively speaking, that which has been in the clouds is coming down to Earth: enough thinking, enough feely-weely, it's time to get your hands dirty.

Casting notes. The keycenter of D descending indicates energy moving downward through the Sacral Chakra, the seat of creativity. The scalepoint of fa descending speaks of a time of transition from the ephemeral to the concrete. The Perfect Fifth of Percussion is a call for initiative in the realm of the physical.

Musical notes. In the context of a descending D major scale, a percussive perfect fifth sounds downward from G. D to G to C: two consecutive fifths. Let's get a move on.

Almost Daily One-up, 06/05/13

Habitually focusing on what you don’t have blocks the intuition needed to get what you want. 

Material success, the who-gets-what-when, is to varying degrees a result of forces incomprehensible to us, and greater than us – greater than, but not exclusive of us. We all have access to the collective that is humanity, and to the collectives higher and deeper still that include humanity: we are, after all, nothing but denser concentrations of the same material. Material success of course requires clarity of intent and flexible perseverance, but also a sense of these larger, collective forces that govern things at a more local level. If we are open, these forces inform us from above through the Crown Chakra, flowing downward into the Third Eye and manifesting as intuition.

This casting shows an impediment to the flow of information between the Crown and the Third Eye in the form of a habitual focus on material lack. Yes, we live in the body, we live in the physical world: material lack cannot be ignored. But habitual focus on anything occupies the Third Eye and blocks the intuition. We need to break the habit of viewing our situation through the lens of what we don’t have.

Casting notes. The keycenter of Bb descending indicates energy moving downward from the Crown to Third Eye Chakras, from collective knowledge into personal insight. The scalepoint of le ascending indicates unconscious behavior. The Major Seventh of Percussion is the poverty card, indicating lack in the realm of the physical, of health, wealth, home, or body.

Musical notes. In the context of an descending Bb major scale, a major seventh built upward from le (re in an ascending E scale) sounds percussively. Feel the lack, remember the source.

Almost Daily One-up. 05/30/13

It is tranquility, peace, that is needed now. Creativity blooms in silence within.

Casting notes. The keycenter of D ascending speaks of the Sacral Plexus Chakra, of creative forces at work or play. The scalepoint of le descending indicates a time of dependence, of something needed or needy. The Tranquillo Card is a directive to express in a peaceful and tranquil manner.

Musical notes. In the Muzoracle, every major scale implies another major scale traveling in the opposite direction a tritone away: a D ascending scale, like the one in this casting, implies a concurrent Ab descending scale. In this case, when the scalepoint of le appears, we sound a Bb: the flat 6 in an ascending D scale, yes,  – but also, and most importantly, re in a descending Ab scale. 

Playing around with this on the piano this morning, I found myself playing a riff from a piece I wrote long ago. It’s called “Home,” and is very tranquil in nature – it’s about Hoofhaven, my home in in the Sierra Nevada mountains, and it’s in D, and le figures heavily. I was just there a couple of days ago, immersed in tranquility - so I included it here. (The crickets, btw, were recorded by hanging a couple of microphones out in the canyon at night. Above left, the pond at Hoofhaven in very early spring. ☺)